A new survey shows that three out of four people would rather meet someone on the treadmill than at the bar—would you?

Last week, I was leaving the gym sweaty, sans makeup, and exhausted, when a cute guy (whose butt I had been ogling mid-squat) rushed to meet me at the door. “Were you a collegiate athlete?” he asked. “You work out so hard.” Before I knew it, we had exchanged numbers and I had a date on my calendar. I loved it—and I’m not alone: Sixty-two percent of singles think the gym is a good place to find love, according to a new survey of 1,500 members of the social dating service Canoodle.com. And three-fourths of people would rather meet someone there than at a bar.

To me, guys who flex their muscles are incredibly appealing—and not just because of their obvious hotness factor. If a guy’s in the gym, he obviously cares about his health and fitness. That’s something we have in common—and maybe we can be workout buddies! Plus, treadmill thumpers tend to be a whole lot nicer (or maybe just more sober) than the guys knocking back booze and trying to grind on women at the bar.

Still, I don’t like anything (or anyone) interfering with my workouts, so I keep my headphones firmly planted in my ears until I’m either (a) cooling down and ready to chat or (b) leaving the gym. But, in my experience, it never hurts to share a smile between sets. It lets guys know you’re more receptive to being approached, upping your chances that he’ll swoop in when you’re done with your workout.

Of course, I’m not the only one out there who has seen sparks fly in the gym. So I asked some of my fitness-loving friends how they feel about meeting singles at the gym. Some shared my feeling on the matter—and some definitely didn't. Here’s what they had to say:

“How someone approaches you can give an indication of what they’re like: Is he respecting my space and waiting patiently? That’s a good sign. I wouldn't care what I look like because if he can hit on me while I'm looking sweaty, then he must not mind either!” —Laarni Natividad

"I hate it! Especially when I'm doing exercises in precarious positions (bridges) or my chest is pushed up against a machine (bicep curl) and you just see the guys turn their heads. I'm there to work out!" —Sarah Becker

"I personally don't like to getting hit on at a gym. When I go there, I go with a game plan and I don't like being there longer than I have to. I'm also not a fan of getting stuck in awkward conversations—which has definitely happened before." —Daisy Magaña

And here’s what some of my male friends said when they weighed in:

“I know I'm there to work out, but I'll still look. What can I say? A firm butt and fluorescent clothing get my attention.” —Joseph Fernandez

"I've never tried to hit on a girl at the gym because I focus intensely on my workouts. If I see guys hitting on girls at the gym, I feel like they do it because they're desperate and they're just there to show off their muscles." —Chase Price

“I met my girlfriend at the gym. I'd seen her at a class here and there, and she'd caught my attention. Then our gym did a 30-day paleo challenge and started an online forum where people could share recipes and pictures. It was through the forum that I saw we had a shared passion for nutrition and cooking. I asked her out shortly thereafter, and we hit it off. We really like to cook and work out together.” —Max Scuorzo

What about you? Do you like being approached at the gym? How do you let someone know when you do (or definitely don’t) want to chat? Share your thoughts in the comments below!